Ravi alleges slander campaign against him
The role of the opposition in a democracy is to strive for power through all democratic means
United National Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayake raised a question of privilege in Parliament last week that there was a well orchestrated vilification campaign against him by certain sections of the media because of his participation in a workshop organised by the Freidrich Naumann Foundation (FNF).
In raising the issue, MP Karunanayake said he was being slandered in obscene language, over participation in what he called the legitimate programme' carried out by his party in association with the German sponsored Organisation, namely the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, projecting it as a conspiracy to topple the government.
"The role of the opposition in a democracy is to strive for power through all democratic means," he said.
He further said there was an 'unscrupulous vilification campaign' against the Freidrich Naumann Foundation and its Country Representative Ms. Sagarica Delgoda. "Freidrich Naumann Stiftung of Germany has been working in Sri Lanka for 45 years on a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Sri Lanka. They are engaged in promoting liberal values and democratic principles and work with likeminded organisations and people to promote the rule of law, good governance, market economy etc. I am personally aware that many honourable members of both sides of this house have benefited immensely by participating in programmes organised by the FNF locally and internationally," he stressed.
He said government ministers Sarath Amunugama, Prof. G.L Peiris, Rajitha Senaratne, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Keheliya Ramukwella, Dilan Perera and Navin Dissanayake were only a few of those who had participated in the programmes organised by the Freidrich Naumann Foundation.
"I am aware that the Central Bank Governor Nivad Cabraal has worked closely with the Organisation for many years. Therefore, it is unfair to categorise them as partisan," he said.